Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Celtics - Getting Inside

The Celtics had a good group of fans at the games in Atlanta, and their followers stretched into the upper reaches of management on opposing teams in the league.

“When we’re out of it, I’m rooting for the Celtics,” said Larry Bird, who now runs the Pacers. “The only time I ever root against them is when we’re playing against them.

“They’re very talented. They’ve got a lot of great parts. It’ll be interesting to see how the young guys play as they get deeper into the playoffs, but they’ve done a great job all year.”

Bird has kept up on the Celtics and likes their prospects.

“I think they’re awesome to watch,” he said before the Celtics were stunned by the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, tying the series at two games apiece. “Obviously, their defense is very impressive. They’re physical, they’re on the ball and they make things happen.

“They’ve got a legitimate chance to win the whole thing. No question about it.”

Kevin McHale, a frontcourt mate of Bird on the last Celtics team to win a championship (1986), is another who believes in the current edition’s potential.

“They’ve got a nice mix,” said McHale, the Timberwolves’ director of operations who dealt Kevin Garnett to the Celtics. “They’ve got (James) Posey coming in off a championship and seeing what happened down there with some of the chemistry issues and stuff like that. They’ve got (Eddie) House coming in saying, ‘I make shots. This is what I do.’ They’ve got (Rajon) Rondo trying to prove himself. They’ve got (Kevin Garnett), Paul (Pierce) and Ray (Allen) hungry and wanting to win. They’ve got guys that all fit in together. I think they got their veterans at good times in their careers.

“That’s a nice, positive combination. But in basketball it’s how healthy you are and how you’re rolling in May that makes all the difference. The year after Portland won the title in ‘77, they were like 56-6—something utterly ridiculous. Then Bill (Walton) gets hurt and some things happen, and it all goes away.”

Hawks 97, Celtics 92: Joe Johnson scored 20 of his 25 points in the last quarter as the Hawks came back to shock the Celtics and even this first-round series at two games each.

The Celts finished the third quarter on a 13-2 run to take a 10-point lead into the final frame. But they scored just 17 points on 33-percent shooting in the fourth while Johnson went off—with help from Josh Smith, who had 12 of his 28 in that period.

“This is a disappointing loss for us,” said coach Doc Rivers. “We had our chances tonight, but give the Hawks credit. They made great shots.”

The Celtics opened the game with a 16-3 run, but they managed to fall behind 29-24 at the end of the first quarter.

Notes, Quotes

• Paul Pierce was fined $25,000 by the league for making a menacing gesture in the direction of Al Horford of the Hawks late in Sunday’s Game 3.

The Celtics are disputing the NBA judgment that the hand symbol was gang-related. Word is Pierce will appeal the ruling when the season is over.

• The Celtics were still angry about the loss of a visible 24-second clock for a long stretch of the second half in Game 3. When the clock at one end went out (and no replacements were available), the other was turned off as well.

The arena P.A. announcer called out different intervals, but the Celts insist he was off on his counts.

Coach Doc Rivers said he even thought about not playing until the problem was corrected.

“It was different, man,” said Kevin Garnett. “I think when Josh (Smith) got a block on (Rajon) Rondo (in the third), the seconds were three seconds. Then all of a sudden they called a shot clock violation. That was kind of weird. That’s playing on the road, man. You can’t (complain) and moan about that stuff. It’s called home court for a reason.”

• Rivers believes Maurice Cheeks has done a great job with the 76ers and deserves consideration for Coach of the Year (though the ballots were in at the end of the regular season).

“Mo has done an amazing job,” Rivers said. “He should be in the forefront of people’s thoughts with what he has done. They were about to break that team up, and now look at where they are.”

On the other hand, Rivers was disturbed to learn of Sam Vincent’s firing by the Bobcats after just one year on the job. Rivers said, “There are good days and bad days in coaching, and that’s a bad day. It bothers me a lot. You have to allow a coach to coach and give him a chance.”

Quote To Note: “Better offense beats better defense every night.”—The Celts’ Sam Cassell after Game 4.

Roster Report

Rotation: Starters—Point guard Rajon Rondo, Shooting guard Ray Allen, Small forward Paul Pierce, Power forward Kevin Garnett, Center Kendrick Perkins. Bench—Guard Eddie House, Forward James Posey, Guard Tony Allen, Guard Sam Cassell, Forward Leon Powe, Forward Brian Scalabrine, Forward Glen Davis, Forward P.J. Brown, Guard Gabe Pruitt.

Player Notes:

• G Sam Cassell had been playing some major minutes in prime time, but he went just 59 seconds in the fourth quarter Monday as Eddie House got the time at backup point guard.

• C Kendrick Perkins had four points and seven rebounds in the first quarter and just two points and two boards thereafter.

• G Rajon Rondo rebounded from a slow start to get 14 points and 12 assists in 35 minutes. But he played just 4:54 in the last quarter.

• F/C Leon Powe was once again the primary backup inside after coach Doc Rivers had said he was going to go with Glen Davis.

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